While low interest rates are designed to encourage consumers and businesses to borrow and invest (with little success) the policy has hurt millions of older and retired persons. With money market funds paying 0.10%, 5-yr Treasuries paying 1.0% and 10-yr Treasuries paying 2.0%, interest income has drastically fallen. These folks now eat out less, buy less and with inflation at 3.6% are seeing their real incomes rapidly decline.